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MORNING GLORY PUMPKIN MUFFINS

Detour, a fabulous café near my home in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, has the ultimate morning glory muffin; I can’t stop in there without picking one up, and I usually make sure everyone I bring there tries it, too. My recipe is not a duplicate of this fabulous morning glory muffin, but a pumpkin-filled homage. Moist, tender, not overly sweet, filled with fruit and seeds, and ideal with a cup of strong coffee, they’re the official grab-and-go breakfast or mid-afternoon snack of champions.

Makes 14–16 large muffins

2 cups light spelt flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon salt

2 large eggs

2 ripe bananas, mashed

¾ cup pumpkin purée

½ cup evaporated cane sugar or granulated sugar

½ cup neutral-tasting oil

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 apple, any variety, grated

⅔ cup raw, unsalted green pumpkin seeds

½ cup golden raisins or sultana raisins

2 tablespoons sesame seeds

1 tablespoon poppy seeds

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line two standard muffin tins with large muffin papers (you’ll only need 14 to 16 large muffin papers).

In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. In a large bowl, whisk eggs, banana, pumpkin, sugar, oil, and vanilla until mixed. Stir dry mixture into wet mixture until just combined. Fold in apple, seeds, and raisins.

Scoop heaped ¼ cup (about 5 tablespoons) portions into muffin papers. Bake for 22 to 28 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Store airtight in refrigerator for up to 2 weeks, or freeze in a zip-top bag for up to 2 months. (Defrost at room temperature before eating.)